Charges filed in crash that killed Olathe school district instructor
An Overland Park man was charged Wednesday in connection with a Tuesday night crash that killed a woman in the Stilwell community of Johnson County.
James Richard McAllister, 27, was charged in Johnson County District Court with involuntary manslaughter in the death of 24-year-old Caitlin Vogel of Stilwell.
Prosecutors also charged him with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without the ignition interlock device that he was required to have on his vehicle.
According to the charges, he has at least two prior convictions for driving under the influence. He also was prosecuted as a juvenile for being a minor in possession of alcohol, court records show.
The fatal crash occurred about 10:10 p.m. Tuesday near 191st Street and Nall Avenue.
An SUV allegedly driven by McAllister was headed south on Nall, ran a stop sign at 191st and broadsided Vogel’s sedan, which was headed east, according to the Johnson County sheriff’s office.
She died at the scene.
Vogel worked for the Olathe school district as an autism instructional assistant. She attended Blue Valley High School and Johnson County Community College, according to her Facebook page.
Vogel’s father, Kevin, told the WDAF/Fox 4 television station that Vogel was “100 percent giving.”
“She worked with special-needs kids. It meant the world to her. She gave it 100 percent,” he said.
On Wednesday, Vogel’s loved ones marked the intersection where the wreck occurred with a memorial display built around two crosses.
One cross bore a photo of Vogel and the other a sheet of paper bearing some words of wisdom that she had posted to her Facebook page. Someone added some flowers and a stuffed toy duck wearing a rain hat and boots.
The Olathe district released a written statement Wednesday expressing heartbreak at the news.
“Ms. Vogel has touched the lives of many of our students and families,” the statement read. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and friends.”
McAllister, who was not injured, is being held in the Johnson County jail in lieu of a $250,000 bond.
He made his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon and requested a court-appointed lawyer. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 8.
The Star’s Ian Cummings contributed to this report.
This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 7:37 AM with the headline "Charges filed in crash that killed Olathe school district instructor."